Mad #50

(October 1959)

The Most Important ¼ Inch In Smoking Today (Table of Contents)

Parlimatch / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Kelly Freas ?

Inks:

Kelly Freas ?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

satire

Synopsis:

Parody of ad for Parliament cigarettes.

Indexer Notes

inside front cover

Departments (Table of Contents)

Vital Features / foreword, introduction, preface, afterword / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

various

Inks:

various

Letters:

typeset

Indexer Notes

Art is excerpts from this issue.

First Came MAD For Keeps... (Table of Contents)

MAD Forever / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.33 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

? (photo)

Inks:

? (photo)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Synopsis:

House ad for MAD Forever hardcover book.

If You Have Trouble Falling Asleep... (Table of Contents)

The Bedside MAD / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.17 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

? (photo)

Inks:

? (photo)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Synopsis:

House ad for MAD paperback book.

Random Samplings of Reader Mail (Table of Contents)

Letters Dept. / letters page / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Albert B. Feldstein; Fred Strohm; Charles Pierce; Arthur Milano; Kathy Dawson; Richard Kapnick; Walter Rode; Edward Jacklivitch; Barney Currer; Pat Hudson; Tim Pabian; Danny Gallant; Brian Lavin; Tom Nye; Peter Olen; Paul Lippman; Thompson News Stand; Everett Saggus; Frank Davis; B. R. Saunders

Pencils:

Wallace Wood; Kelly Freas

Inks:

Wallace Wood; Kelly Freas

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Synopsis:

Letters of comment, many about issue #48.

Indexer Notes

Art is excerpts from previous issues.

The Face That Launched A Thousand Ships! (Table of Contents)

Alfred E. Neuman / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.17 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Norman Mingo (painted)

Inks:

Norman Mingo (painted)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Characters:

Alfred E. Neuman

Synopsis:

House ad for pinups suitable for framing.

Why Fight Over The Only Copy of MAD On The Newsstand (Table of Contents)

MAD Magazine / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.33 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Lester Krauss ? (photo)

Inks:

Lester Krauss ? (photo)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Synopsis:

House ad for MAD subscriptions.

Indexer Notes

Models are various MAD staff members.

Spot That Plug! (Table of Contents)

Dishonorable Mention Dept. / comic story / 3 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Sy Reit

Pencils:

Wallace Wood

Inks:

Wallace Wood

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

satire

Synopsis:

Analyzes how television show scripts have subtle product plugs and predicts that in the future we will see shows consisting of nothing but a recitation of brand names.

How To Fight The Small Car Threat (Table of Contents)

Fix Their Volkswagen Dept. / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Al Jaffee

Pencils:

Bob Clarke (signed)

Inks:

Bob Clarke (signed)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

satire

Synopsis:

Traces the history of how small cars became long cars, and what automakers should do to satisfy the public's new demand for small cars.

NBC Plays CBS In The TV Baseball League (Table of Contents)

Afoul Off The Screen Dept. / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Arnie Kogen

Pencils:

Mort Drucker

Inks:

Mort Drucker

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Characters:

Mel Allen; Lawrence Welk; Groucho Marx; Phil Silvers; Red Skelton; Milton Berle; Jack Paar; Bob Hope; Ted Mack; Steve Allen; Ed Sullivan; Jerry Lewis; Kathryn Murray; George Gobel; Jack Benny; Arthur Murray; Charlie Weaver; Richard Boone; Eve Arden; Jackie Gleason; Alfred Hitchcock; Eddie Fisher; Perry Como; Lassie; John Charles Daly; Dorothy Kilgallen; Bennett Cerf; Arlene Francis; Arthur Godfrey; Michael Anthony; Jack Webb; Raymond Burr

Synopsis:

A wacky look at a baseball game played by television stars playing in character.

Indexer Notes

Some characters listed are not pictured, but are announced by the play-by-play announcer.

The MAD Time Capsule (Table of Contents)

Let's We Forget Dept. / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Sy Reit

Pencils:

Wallace Wood

Inks:

Wallace Wood

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Synopsis:

Stuff that MAD would put in a time capsule...to be left buried!

The Nearsighted Man And The Telephone (Table of Contents)

Don Martin Dept. / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Don Martin (signed)

Pencils:

Don Martin (signed)

Inks:

Don Martin (signed)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Synopsis:

A man mistakes another man for a pay phone, and another man retrieves the dime from the "phone" man's mouth.

Where Song-Writers Get Their Inspiration (Table of Contents)

No Muse Is Good Muse Dept. / comic story / 3 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Frank Jacobs

Pencils:

George Woodbridge (signed)

Inks:

George Woodbridge (signed)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Synopsis:

Everyday inspirations that may have occurred for famous songs, from advertisements, news articles, letters, etc.

Women In Whisky Ads (Table of Contents)

Ladies of Distinction Dept. / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Al Jaffee

Pencils:

Bob Clarke (signed)

Inks:

Bob Clarke (signed)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Characters:

Carrie Nation; Lady Godiva; Mark Twain

Synopsis:

Parodies of ads for Old Crow; White Horse; Canadian Club; Seagrams 7 Crown; Four Roses; and Old Grand-Dad whiskeys. Shows subtle ways women are being introduced into ads, where that trend will go, and predicts that children will be next to be included.

Scenes We'd Like To See: The Big Break (Table of Contents)

Hollywood Dept. / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Gary Belkin

Pencils:

Joe Orlando (signed)

Inks:

Joe Orlando (signed)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

satire

Synopsis:

A chorus girl gets a chance to fill in for the star singer on a play's opening night...and she stinks.

MAD Playgrounds That Prepare Kids For Adult Life (Table of Contents)

Berg's Eye View Dept. / comic story / 3 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Dave Berg (signed)

Pencils:

Dave Berg (signed)

Inks:

Dave Berg (signed)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Synopsis:

Dave explores ideas for playgrounds that will make kids just as miserable as they will become as adults.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Dave Berg's Mad Trash (EC, 1981 series) #[nn] (1981)
• in Mad About the Fifties (Little, Brown & Co., 1997 series) #[nn] (1997)

Changing Meanings For Fun & Profit (Table of Contents)

Out-Of-Context Dept. / text story / 3 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Larry Siegel

Pencils:

George Woodbridge

Inks:

George Woodbridge

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Synopsis:

A look at how people in various businesses could use the Hollywood and Broadway practice of excerpting from bad reviews to create more favorable reviews.

What Our Teenagers Really Think About (Table of Contents)

Don't Beat This Generation Dept. / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Dave Berg

Pencils:

Bob Clarke (signed)

Inks:

Bob Clarke (signed)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Synopsis:

It really is true that all teenagers think about is the opposite sex.

TV Ads We'd Like To See (Table of Contents)

Television Dept. / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

George Woodbridge

Inks:

George Woodbridge

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

satire

Characters:

Ed Reamers; Wilbur Tsaurus; Mrs. Tsaurus

Synopsis:

Parody of Allstate Insurance commercial, featuring Ill-State Insurance.

Blue Confessions (Table of Contents)

Bleating Hearts Dept. / text story / 3 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Paul Laikin

Pencils:

Wallace Wood

Inks:

Wallace Wood

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

satire

Synopsis:

Parody of True Confessions type of magazine, showing how the stories are not as spectacular as the misleading headlines.

Indexer Notes

Writer credit from "Totally MAD" CD collection.

Practical Greeting Cards (Table of Contents)

Maybe Happy Returns Dept. / text story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Frank Jacobs

Pencils:

George Woodbridge

Inks:

George Woodbridge

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Synopsis:

Greeting cards that might be sent by typical greeting card recipients before an event, to inform people of the upcoming event and need to send a gift.

On The Beach (Table of Contents)

Don Martin Dept. / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Don Martin (signed)

Pencils:

Don Martin (signed)

Inks:

Don Martin (signed)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Synopsis:

The skinny guy at the beach does some instant exercise and has a surprise for the bully.

The Night Peter Gone Cracked (Table of Contents)

Cops And Throbbers Dept. / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Larry Siegel

Pencils:

Bob Clarke (signed)

Inks:

Bob Clarke (signed)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

satire

Characters:

Peter Gone; Lieutenant Jerkobi; Freedie; Mama; psychiatrist; Lawrence Welk

Synopsis:

Parody of Peter Gunn TV show, showing how the character would react if not his usual cool, suave self.

The Big House Beacon (Table of Contents)

Rock 'N Parole Dept. / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Larry Siegel

Pencils:

Joe Orlando (signed)

Inks:

Joe Orlando (signed)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

satire

Characters:

Rocky Albanese; Arson Carson; Seymour Fagin; Burnside Noonan; Trigger Throop; Zack Zinn; Warren Hymer; Guinn Williams; Leo Gorcey; Huntz Hall; Louis Fink; Edward Brophy; Harold Huber; Billy Halop; Chick McGooley; Hank Borelli; Ike Yurks; Monty McGee; Irv Dillinger; Lait Show; Warren Biggleby; Murray Finster; Milton Boil; Boris Willewski; Machine Gun Gertz; Otto Willshire; Alvin Flutz

Synopsis:

What if a prison published a high-school yearbook type of publication? A look at the class of '59.

Reprints:

• in Mad About the Fifties (Little, Brown & Co., 1997 series) #[nn] (1997)

Indexer Notes

Most inmates are caricatures of celebrities.

The New Chair (Table of Contents)

Don Martin Dept. / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Don Martin (signed)

Pencils:

Don Martin (signed)

Inks:

Don Martin (signed)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Synopsis:

A nervous, shaky man gets a new vibrating chair.

Marvin Talks About Secret Ingredients (Table of Contents)

Marginal Marvin Dept. / filler / 0 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Characters:

Marginal Marvin

Synopsis:

Marvin's theory is that the secret ingredient to one product is really its competitor's product.

Indexer Notes

Appears in the margins of 22 pages of this issue.

Know The Real Joy of "mad" Living... (Table of Contents)

MAD clothing / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Lester Krauss (photo)

Inks:

Lester Krauss (photo)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Synopsis:

House ad for MAD t-shirts and straight jackets.

Indexer Notes

Models are various MAD staff members.
Photographed at the Cup 'n Saucer Coffee House, New York, NY.
Inside back cover.

Nothing Stops It - Not Even Power Brakes (Table of Contents)

Body By Fishey / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Al Jaffee

Pencils:

Kelly Freas (painted, signed)

Inks:

Kelly Freas (painted, signed)

Colors:

Kelly Freas (painted, signed)

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

satire

Synopsis:

Parody of General Motors Body By Fisher ads. Cars mentioned are Severolet, Pontiarc, Upsmobile, Buckit, and Cadiljac.

Indexer Notes

Writer credit from "Totally MAD" CD collection.
Back cover.